


A Perfect Little Fawn

by NestingHedwig_aka_LinW



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, Established Relationship, M/M, Pregnant Harry, Shopping, Yule
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-01-04
Packaged: 2018-05-11 18:50:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5638015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NestingHedwig_aka_LinW/pseuds/NestingHedwig_aka_LinW
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As they perform tasks leading up to the holiday, Harry and Severus await the birth of their first child.</p>
<p>Written for the 2015 Secret Snarry Swap for the (Prompt #10) Baby's First Christmas</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Perfect Little Fawn

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This story is based on characters created and owned by J.K. Rowling, various publishers including, but not limited to Scholastic Books and Warner Bros. No copyright or trademark infringement is intended; no monetary gain will be made from this story.

**A Perfect Little Fawn**  
~*~*~*~

His fingers firmly interlaced with Hermione's, Harry was led through the confusing labyrinth known as the London Underground. They made their way through the crowded Oxford Circus Tube Station, one of the busiest in the city, and exited on to Regent Street.

It was the last week in November and the Regent Street Shopping District was dressed in its holiday finery. The sparkling decorations glittered in the overcast sky and Harry couldn't help to imagine how vibrant they would appear once darkness fell.

The cold, light drizzle was blocked by the umbrella Hermione unfurled, but the dampness had already taken its toll. Hermione's always exuberant mane was now a ball of frizz and Harry's gravity-defying mop a mass of ringlets. Clad in flat black boots, slim black jeans and an extra long green and black herringbone-patterned jumper, he tried to button his black trench coat, but it would not close over the pronounced swell of his abdomen. 

Harry caught his reflection in a mirrored storefront and wondered if his appearance would attract undue attention. At eight and a half months pregnant, he could not risk possible harm to his fetus by using _Polyjuice_ or charms to disguise his appearance. Perhaps this holiday shopping trip was a mistake.

Hermione felt her friend's steps falter. She linked her arm in his and pulled him out of the main flow of foot traffic. She gave him an encouraging smile.

The excess estrogen in his body had softened the sharp angles of his face and removed all traces of his previous facial hair, leaving behind a handsome, if androgynous, appearance. Harry's bright green eyes, now devoid of his unfashionable round eyeglasses, were highlighted by the barest hint of mascara and eye shadow as a subtle means of disguise.

"Pardon me, ladies," a rushing businessman called out as he swerved into their path to avoid a group of stalled tourists blocking the traffic flow.

"See? He called you a lady." Hermione nudged Harry forward. "People see what they expect to see, Harry. No one expects to see a pregnant man, and they won't see one. So let's get this done."

The young wizard looked up and down Regent Street, surprised by the vastness of shopping choices. He wondered if they had a "You Are Here" kiosk he could study.

"So where do you want to start?" he asked. Harry imagined, quite correctly, that the witch had already prepared a detailed list of gifts she needed to purchase, broken down by shop and price. "As long as we stop by Hamley's at some point. I pulled Mr. Weasley's name for the holiday gift exchange."

"But Hamley's is a toy store," Hermione said. "You knew that, right?"

"Dudley always visited Father Christmas at Hamley's every year. So yes, I know it's a toy store."

"And they never took you, did they?" she huffed. "Of course they didn't. The Dursleys are foul..."

"Not all of them...between being attacked by Dementors and spending months with Hestia Jones, Dudley's changed. He's actually being quite decent. Although the pregnancy has weirded him out." Harry smiled, wryly. "But back to Mr. Weasley. I was thinking of a toy he could put together, or maybe a battery operated racing car."

"Mrs. Weasley will possibly hex you if you do."

"Not if I bribe her with enough chocolate."

"Hamley's is about four minutes this way. I need to pick up some chocolate as well. I think we pass a Godiva's on the way."

~*~*~*  
Harry's stomach roiled as the heavy scent of chocolate hit him. Although it was no longer as prevalent as during his first trimester, he never knew what might set off a bout of nausea. It was really too bad he couldn't cast a _Bubble Head Charm_. Breathing evenly through his mouth, he felt the nausea begin to subside.

He joined the queue snaking through the shop, balancing various sized gift boxes filled with assorted chocolates and two stacks of individual chocolate bars in a range of flavors. Harry looked down at the stack containing only bars of Godiva's Dark Chocolate and Blood Orange bars and wondered if five were enough. He plucked five more bars from a display, just to make certain.

Hermione joined him in the queue. She carried two boxes of mixed chocolate truffles and a single milk chocolate and caramel bar, a bite for later.

"Are you craving orange chocolate?" She asked, humor evident in her tone.

"Oh, those aren't for me. I haven't been able to stomach chocolate since I became pregnant. All the orange chocolate is for Severus. It satisfies his sweet tooth."

"But that's dark chocolate. Isn't it bitter?"

"And your point?"

"You said Severus had a sweet...oh, never mind. This is Severus we're talking about." 

~*~*~*  
As expected, Hamley's was a madhouse. After consulting the store directory and discovering the items they were each interested in were located on separate floors, Harry and Hermione decided to split up. As Harry made his way to the floor featuring Legos, MegaBloks, Duplo, and Playmobil displays, he was more than grateful that the horde of children waiting to speak to Father Christmas were on another floor.

Harry wandered through the rows of various themed collections and decided that a tiny wizard-raised child would have no understanding of the obviously Muggle themed block sets, such as the space ships, construction vehicles or search and rescue. He debated about the sets featuring dinosaurs and cityscapes before finally making his decision.

Victoire, Bill and Fleur's two year old, was the easiest to shop for. In the section featuring toddler's oversized snap-together block sets, he located a box containing a "My First Zoo" playset and added a second box containing snap-together farm animals. He figured she wouldn't know that cows and chickens didn't usually live in zoos.

He debated whether to pick up a second set of the same for his baby, but decided against it. Until the baby was older, soft toys were more sensible.

Teddy's gift was a little more difficult. He waffled between a pirate ship or a castle with dragons. Just as he was deciding on the castle, he spied another shopper with a medieval set by a different manufacturer and decided to look more closely at their offerings.

Locating the same knights and castle playset, he also discovered supplementary pieces in the medieval collection that featured a troll, a pair of dragons, extra knights, their horses, and a catapult or two. Decision made, he placed five different boxes into his trolley. He couldn't wait to play pretend battles with four-year-old Teddy.

He knew Andromeda would chastise him for spending too much, but if he couldn't spoil his godson from time to time, what was the point of it?

And then he was left with what to get Mr. Weasley. As he looked at the multicolored displays, he began to worry. He respected the older wizard and did not want to hurt his feelings. If he bought the man a child's toy, would he be delighted or insulted? 

The baby began to stretch within his pseudo womb. Harry held his hand over what felt like a small foot pressing outward.

"Please don't kick my bladder, Ig," he thought as he stood in the long checkout queue. He would need to find a loo soon and then somewhere to rest his feet. In his advanced state of pregnancy, his back ached and his feet were often puffy.

The person in line in front of him brushed against a display and a box tumbled into Harry's trolley. He plucked it out of the pile of other toys, intending to set it back on the stack, but then looked at the picture on the box and set it back into his trolley. It was a 3-in-1 kit that built either a cargo helicopter, a cargo plane, or a cargo ship and better yet, it was a "Loss Leader" Special for less than five pounds

Serendipity, he thought. The kit was fairly inexpensive and silly enough to be considered a prank gift, and he could provide Mr. Weasley a "grown up" gift as well. Severus could help him find something suitable, if nothing caught his eye today.

The clerk had just handed him his receipt and the two large shopping bags filled with his purchases when Hermione appeared at his elbow. She plucked the heavy bags off the counter.

"You can't carry these in your condition," she hissed. "What were you thinking?"

Harry shook his head. You would think she had never heard of a _Featherlight Charm_ before.

~*~*~*  
"Where do you want to go next?" Harry asked as they stood beside one of the toy store's animated Christmas windows. Even though he had magic at his fingertips, the wizard was still dazzled by the motorized and computerized displays. 

"I still need to find a couple gifts and I'm not sure where to go. I'm hoping for inspiration. If we pass a tea shop on the way, let's stop for a bite first."

"I could go for a cuppa." Harry grimaced as the baby shifted. Poor Iggy was running out of room; it was long past the time since the fetus was a mere flutter. "But could we stop at The Pen Shop first?"

"Okay. But wouldn't it just be easier to owl order Amanuensis Quills or Scribbulus Writing Implements in Diagon Alley?"

"If I was looking for a quill, sure." Harry shifted his shopping bag to his other hand. He had shrunk both his Hamley's and Godiva's purchases to fit into the smallest of his bags. "Sev has this ancient fountain pen that leaks all over his fingers. He likes to use it for his Potions journals. _Reparo_ doesn't work well on it anymore. I wanted to get him a new one."

~*~*~*  
Harry could feel his feet throbbing inside his boots as he sipped his caffeine-free green tea. He had asked for a perfectly respectable Earl Grey, but his know-it-all best friend overrode his request, citing pregnancy and caffeine statistics he swore she made up on the spot. At least she didn't begrudge him the jam for his scone.

"Do you think he'll like the pen set?" Harry plucked nervously at his napkin.

"Of course he will. That's a Montblanc...it's top of the line." 

Hermione still couldn't believe what Harry had spent on a single fountain pen and refill kit. Thank Merlin Ron had not accompanied them on this shopping excursion. While he had finally grown out of most of his jealousy about Harry's wealth, she didn't want to know what his reaction to Harry casually spending hundreds of pounds on a writing implement would have been.

~*~*~*  
Harry's energy was flagging as Hermione continued her quest for the perfect holiday gifts. They were in still another multi-floored store. He had waved her away, telling her to meet him in Infants and Children once she finished visiting all the other floors. He only hoped that there was somewhere he could rest for a few minutes.

He looked through the displays of tiny undergarments and sleepwear. Over the past few months he had been gifted many articles of clothing for the baby, but Wizarding infant wear was different from Muggle infant wear.

Harry looked at a rack of footed sleepers and thought they would be more practical than the numerous drawstring night gowns he already received. He held up a red and white striped sleeper and couldn't imagine exactly how you would go about tucking a squirming newborn into it. He had still been hunting Horcruxes when Teddy was born, so he had no practical experience.

A clearance display drew his attention and he waddled over to the disorganized rack. Perhaps he could locate a holiday outfit for Ig. While the clothes were evidently once arranged according to size, previous shoppers had left the contents a hodgepodge.

Something caught his eye and Harry plucked the garment out. He held it up with a bemused expression on his face.

"Oh, there you are," Hermione called out. "Did you find something?"

"Look, Hermione." Harry held up his find. "Isn't this the perfect First Christmas outfit for Ig?

Hermione's mouth dropped open, her mind spinning, trying to find something neutral to say. With his emotions often close to the surface, she didn't want to say anything to open the floodgates.

"But what happens if Ignotus turns out to be a girl?" she asked, lamely.

"It's brown...that's a unisex color."

Hermione stared at the brown fleece all-in-one with shiny black quilted hoofs covering both the hands and feet and the dark brown stuffed antlers decorating the attached hood.

"Err...Harry."

"And look at that little tail!" Harry's bright green eyes glittered. "Isn't it perfect?"

"I don't..."

"Don't you see? My patronus is a stag. Severus' patronus is a doe. And Ignotus will make a perfect little fawn..."

The witch closed her eyes and tried not to imagine Severus' reaction to the infant-sized deer costume in Harry's hands. The Potions master would verbally skewer him. She looked at her best friend and tried to think of a diplomatic way to discourage this purchase.

Harry looked at his friend's horrorstruck expression and could not contain his mirth any longer. He shoved the inappropriate deer costume back onto the rack and burst into laughter.

"Had you going there, didn't I?" he chortled. "As if anyone's daft enough to pay twenty-two quid for that."

"Oh, you," she spluttered, lightly punching him in the upper arm. "You are an idiot."

"Can we go now? I'm knackered."

~*~*~*  
Harry settled onto an empty seat on the train, balancing his shopping bag on what was left of his lap, and wondered why he hadn't thought to summon Kreacher to collect his purchases ahead of time. He was glad they had hit an odd lull for the Underground because he didn't think he could have kept his balance had he needed to stand. While chivalry wasn't completely dead in London, finding it would be extraordinary during rush hour.

"I have no idea what to get Fleur. I just keep thinking that if I look long enough something will jump out. I suppose I could get her a gift certificate to Madam Malkin's or Madam Primpernelle's, but that seems so impersonal." Hermione leaned back against the back of the seat, her energy fading.

"I happen to know that Fleur really likes Cosys," Harry yawned.

"Are you trying to tell me Fleur collects tea cozies?" Hermione asked, incredulously.

"Not cozies...Cosys. Cosys are books."

"What?"

"Cosys are a type of murder mystery - they are really popular with Muggles. The main character is a amateur sleuth, usually a woman but not always, and runs a small shop - a needlework shop, a flower shop, or perhaps a bakery. They all have silly titles like _Teacups of Terror, Hairpins and Homicide_ or _And Then You Dye_. Sometimes the cat helps solve the crime...It's a whole genre of crime fiction."

"You're making that up," Hermione scoffed.

"Actually, I'm not. Fleur borrowed a couple of my Hamish MacBeth mysteries to help improve her English and fell in love with the genre. Just ask Bill next Sunday dinner at the Burrow if she has any favorite authors." Harry adjusted his shopping bag, wincing as the baby kicked his ribs.

"She's also a closet fan of bodice rippers," Harry smiled, impishly. "Bet the Muggle ones are racier than anything at Flourish and Blotts. You know the type...long haired, shirtless bloke wearing naught but a kilt, hem jacked up to show a manly thigh..."

"How do you know so much about romance novels? A secret little vice?"

"Yes, but not mine. Aunt Petunia used to hide them in my cupboard so Uncle Vernon wouldn't know she read such _common_ rubbish."

"Thank you for the suggestions. It will make things much easier." Hermione chose to ignore his matter-of-fact reference to childhood sleeping arrangements. Harry had long accepted the Dursleys' cruel behavior and discussing it could not erase the past. "Now I just need to decide whether to get her something chaste or soft porn."

"My vote is for the porn."

"So is mine...We're the next stop."

Harry huffed in embarrassment as Hermione helped heave him out of the seat. He was tired of feeling so ungainly. 

~*~*~*  
"Do you know who pulled Severus' name in the gift exchange?"

"Percy...no wait, Audrey. I'm sure it was Audrey."

Harry liked Percy's wife, Audrey. Having not attended Hogwarts, she held no pre-conceived opinions of either the Dungeon Bat or the Boy-Who-Lived. She especially enjoyed Severus' acerbic humor, which had endeared her to Harry.

"If she's at a loss at what to get him, have her talk to Stephen Cornfoot at Recycled Knowledge."

"What would he want with a used textbook?"

"Recycled Knowledge doesn't just sell textbooks." Harry looked at Hermione in astonishment. "You mean you've never been on the second and third floor?"

"No."

"The Cornfoots have everything from the rarest antique tomes to the weird and wonderful...Stephen set aside some books for me that he thinks Sev will like. Have Audrey tell him I sent her. He's got literature in every price range. She could probably find a treatise on cauldron bottoms for Perce if she looked hard enough."

"You're insufferable," Hermione laughed.

~*~*~*  
Severus studied the various holiday getaway packages offered by TerrorTours, a wizarding travel agency located in Diagon Alley. While adventurous and/or insane travelers could book a weekend at a vampire-owned castle in Transylvania, or take a cruise in the Bermuda Triangle, TerrorTours also offered conventional family getaways such as rail trips through Europe, skiing in the Alps, and transatlantic cruises to all continents.

Harry never really had the opportunity to travel, Horcrux hunt aside, so Severus wanted to surprise him with a holiday in the new year, but there was an overwhelming array of colorful brochures and posters to choose from. Since they would have an infant along, it did narrow down some of the destination choices.

Severus needed to ask the travel agent a few questions, but the witch was busy with a trio of wizards booking an overseas camping trip. She was explaining to them that if they insisted on tenting in an area known to be infested with zombies, TerrorTours would take no responsibility for injury or death. 

As one of the men tried to get his companions to see reason and change their itinerary, Severus decided that he would take a few promising brochures with him and return another time.

~*~*~*  
Severus compared his daily list of orders against his stockpile. He anticipated the order quantity changes easily ahead of the seasons. He didn't need to consult a calendar to know that the Diagon Alley holiday shopping season was in full swing.

Headache powders, hangover draughts, various burn pastes, wart removers, and Pepper-Up potions were year-round staples, although hangover draught requests increased leading up to any major holiday and Pepper-Up usage had an uptick during cold and flu season.

Shortly after the war, he had bought out Mr. Mulpepper's failing Diagon Alley apothecary and entered a partnership with the adjoining Slug and Jiggers Apothecary to brew for them the ready-made potions they had always offered for sale. This freed up the two elderly potion ingredient suppliers' time to train a great-grandson and a great-nephew in the intricacies of their business, as well as the methods required to procure, prepare, and organize the raw materials needed for quality potion brewing. If all went well, the ancient wizards hoped to retire in a few years.

There was a small, but steady, clientele for ready-made potions. Some witches and wizards were too busy or too lazy to brew common maintenance medications themselves, and other customers were so abysmal at potions brewing that they did not wish to poison either themselves or a family member.

With the partnership, specific potions were sold exclusively through Slug and Jiggers or by owl order under the name _Slug, Jiggers and Snape: Quality Potions and Powders_. By not having to open an actual storefront, Severus was able to spend his time brewing both for Slug and Jiggers and a few other clients, as well as devote time to his ongoing potions research.

A timer went off. Severus paused his inventory long enough to screw lids onto a dozen squat iridescent purple glass jars filled with cooled rose-scented and lavender-dyed stretch mark removal cream. His nose twitched at the unnecessary additions to the emulsion, but as a contracted potions brewer, he would brew to his client's specifications, no matter his own opinion. After wiping down each jar to remove any residue, he smoothed labels onto the garish client-supplied jars.  
_Madam Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions - Tendez le Crème de Marque._

He snorted at the pretentiousness of the packaging and the implication that the product was imported from France. To him, stretch mark removal cream was stretch mark removal cream, no matter how you labeled it. Her adulterated recipe for the cream actually made it an inferior product. By adding the rose fragrance and the dye, Madam Primpernelle was selling a diluted cream. But perhaps that was her plan. A weaker product would provide a lesser result, thus insuring that the customer purchased additional jars of cream to reduce her stretch marks.

Severus sealed the containers of his own, unscented stretch mark removal cream for sale by owl order only and placed them on the shelf, adding them to his inventory list. By not using a costly decorative container, he could sell his product, for a profit, at half the price. He set aside one of the utilitarian jars to take home for Harry. He smirked, remembering his partner's reaction to once receiving a jar of the rose-scented swill as a gift.

Harry was actually the reason he was brewing the ridiculous, but lucrative, beauty products for Madam Primpernelle in the first place. Prior to his pregnancy, the younger wizard helped Severus in the apothecary, dealing with everything not related to the actual brewing of potions. Even now that he had been banished to avoid dangerous potion fumes, Harry still handled much of the day-to-day business and financial decisions.

One day, returning from Brews and Stews with a take-away meal, Harry overheard a shrill Madam Primpernelle sacking her third Junior Potion Mixer in less than a month. The middle-aged, lavender-tressed witch was nearly hysterical. After calming her down, Harry realized he had walked into the perfect business opportunity for Severus. He turned on the Potter charm and convinced her that, of course, she was not a harridan, nor was she the problem. But, he went on to explain, it wasn't the fault of the Mixers either. The problem was that a Junior Potion Mixer was just too inexperienced to be able to meet her exacting brewing specifications, and that what she really needed was a behind-the-scenes Potions master to brew her specialty products, thus ensuring the high quality of her products remained consistent and her sterling reputation did not suffer.

Severus had always doubted Harry's claim that the Sorting Hat wanted him in Slytherin, but watching Harry negotiate the contract with Madam Primpernelle was enlightening. Who knew what a cunning business mind lived behind those wide green eyes.

So now, Severus "anonymously" brewed the majority of Madam Primpernelle's skin care products, leaving her to handle the perfume and cosmetic side of her product line.

~*~*~*  
Severus put away his implements and ingredients for the night. He busied himself with small tasks while waiting for his final customer order pick-up. He cast a _Tempus Charm_ , and sighed.

As usual, Madam Primpernelle's clerk was late. With the holiday season in full swing, the beauty maven had requested a rush order of potions, powders and creams to stock her gift baskets. Severus had worked late the past three nights to fill the order. She should have picked up the boxes hours ago.

He was tired and he was hungry. Without Harry's onsite help to take care of things, or even that a meal was only a Floo call away, he was often too busy to eat. Perhaps it was time to consider acquiring an apprentice.

Five minutes later, and still no clerk, Severus levitated the three boxes containing her order to the doorstep. Dodging the hovering boxes, he stepped onto the street, locking and warding his shop behind him. He could still see lights glowing at Madam Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions halfway down the block.

Intending to make the delivery himself so he could finally go home, Severus flicked his wand at the floating boxes. Before he could take more than a few steps, he heard the clatter of high heels on the cobblestones. He looked up to see a flushed Romilda Vane, dressed in the most unbecoming lilac lace pinafore, her hair tumbling out of its severe bun.

"I'm sorry...I'm...late...Professor," Romilda wheezed. "Last minute...customer...couldn't...make up her...bloody mind."

~*~*~*  
Severus leaned against the fireplace mantel, letting the heat from the fire drive away the chill he felt from his journey home. Sleet pattered against the diamond-paned parlor windows. With a flick of his wand, the heavy silken curtains closed over the windows, muting the neighborhood noises.

Harry was asleep, curled up on the settee. The afghan that had once covered him was a pile on the carpet. One of Harry's hands rested on his distended abdomen, the jumper riding up just enough to expose the elastic panel of his Muggle maternity jeans.

The Potions master approached the sleeping wizard, noting that the ankles, propped up on a pillow, seemed to be swollen. This late in the pregnancy, they needed to keep a close eye on edema. Harry's hands looked puffy as well.

Severus looked up as the long case clock chimed the quarter hour. As much as he hated to waken his partner, Harry needed to eat. If his nose did not deceive him, dinner would be ready soon.

He leaned down, extending his hand to pet Harry's wayward locks and froze. Perhaps it was a trick of the light, but Harry's eyes looked bruised. Then he looked closer. Why in Merlin's name was Harry wearing eye shadow and mascara? In all the years he had known the younger man, Harry had never once shown the slightest inclination to wear cosmetics. Why did he wear them now?

"It's time to wake up, love," Severus said as he gently shook a once-bony shoulder.

"Hi," Harry replied, sleepily. He patted the edge of the settee cushion, an invitation. "If you're home, I slept longer than I meant to."

Harry rolled from his hip to his back. As much as he loved the idea of a child, he was tired of feeling like a bloated flobberworm. Those women who claimed to love being pregnant were either deluded, _Imperiused_ , or liars.

He reached for Severus' hand and placed it on his abdomen. If there was one good thing about brewing beauty potions for Madam Primpernelle, the decades-old potion stains no longer dyed the man's skin. The older man's fingers curled around whatever appendage the baby was currently pushing out, be it foot, knee or elbow. Severus smiled, his usually stern expression melting away.

"Ig's been especially active today."

Ig, Severus thought. He was a firm believer in passing on family names, so when Harry began to refer to his baby bump as Ignotus, after his Peverell ancestor, Severus was pleased. He even accepted the odd variation of Ignatz, but he was having real problems accepting that his son would go through life as an Iggy or an Ig. Of the two, he would grudgingly agree to Ig.

And he knew they were having a son, even though Harry refused to have the healer run charms to determine gender. Harry wanted to be surprised, but Severus was more practical. Knowing the gender could have stopped all the green, purple and yellow striped, polka-dotted or tartan infant gifts. 

Without Harry's knowledge, he had cast the charms on the sleeping man early in the second trimester. He told himself he only needed to assure himself that the fetus was healthy. That the charms also revealed the gender...

"Your ankles are swollen more than usual." Severus prodded the puffy appendage. "Are you keeping off your feet?"

"Did more than I should have today," Harry admitted, knowing Severus would not be pleased. "Hermione and I went Christmas shopping on Regent Street today. I just wanted to shop at Hamley's to get toys for Teddy and Victoire, but Hermione had this list from Hell and we ended up going up and down the street."

Harry could see Severus' expression darken. 

"I'm not going to throw Hermione under the Knight Bus. I know I should have come home when I started to get tired, but I got caught up in her frenzy...and the fairy lights...

"In my own defense, I did finish my holiday shopping...well, except for a few things I need from Diagon Alley..." At Severus' narrowed eyes, Harry surrendered. "Just a few things I can owl order...or you can pick up for me...or I could send Kreacher..."

"You're babbling." Severus kissed Harry's lips to silence him. "And did this ill-advised foray into Muggle London have anything to do with the kohl smudged around your eyes?"

"I forgot to take it off, didn't I?" Harry clasped his hand over his mouth to hide a yawn. "We thought it might make me look a bit more feminine. Muggle men don't get up the duff...Is it smeared everywhere?"

"It's not your best look, no." Severus conjured a warm, wet cloth and gently wiped the mess away. He kissed the tip of his lover's nose. "And I'm informing Kreacher that you're on bed rest."

"Sev..."

"Don't Sev me. Your edema isn't just uncomfortable, it's dangerous."

~*~*~*  
Freshly bathed and teeth brushed, Severus stepped into their bedroom, buttoning the placket of his nightshirt closed. He was pleased to see that Harry was already in bed, lying on his left side, as directed, to take pressure off his _inferior vena cava_ vein, and his legs were slightly elevated. 

Harry looked up from reading _Precious Lambs: The Care and Feeding of Your Little Witch or Wizard_. He was the first one to admit he didn't know much about infant care, but something seemed really off about this manual. At any rate, he wasn't sure why anyone thought having the book play a lullaby every time you turned the page was a good idea.

Honestly, he would much rather be reading one of his crime mysteries. But, since he was going to be on enforced bed rest for the next few days, he would have plenty of time to devour the latest Hamish MacBeth novel.

"What in the blazes are you reading?" Severus plucked the book from his fingers. He leafed through the pages, causing the lullabies to sound like random musical notes. "Where did you get this dreck?"

"It was a gift from Dorcas Cumberbatch."

"Who is Dorcas Cumberbatch?"

"I have absolutely no idea. She sent us a lovely white knitted coverlet for the baby and this book. I assumed she was one of your business associates."

"Cumberbatch." Severus racked his brain. The name sounded vaguely familiar and not in a dangerous way, perhaps one of his regular owl order customers. "I'll check my records tomorrow. But no matter - don't waste your time on that book. It's the equivalent of Gilderoy Lockhart writing a child minding book. I am certain Flourish and Blotts can recommend something more suitable."

Harry pushed himself up to a sitting position and swung his legs out of bed.

"Where do you think you're going?" Severus demanded.

"Iggy's tap-dancing on my bladder. I need to visit the loo."

Iggy Potter-Snape. Severus mentally shook his head. That name sounded an awful lot like that 1970's British glam rocker with the crooked teeth and the oddly layered hair.

~*~*~*  
Harry sat, propped up in his bed, surrounded by piles of paper, scrolls and ledgers. It was a tedious project, first separating the banking paperwork by family name and then by particular vault number. Since it was so time consuming, and frankly a little bit dull, he often put the task off longer than he should. However, it was the perfect assignment to fill a day of enforced bed rest.

He pushed aside the piles devoted to the Potter and the Black Heirloom vaults, tying them into neat bundles for storage. He had not removed any articles from the Potter Heirloom vault in the past year, and Gringotts Cursebreakers were still in the process of archiving and cleansing the piles of dangerous artifacts housed in the Black Heirloom vault. He cringed when he saw the exorbitant fees he was being charged for this service, but he was lucky Gringotts Wizarding Bank agreed to do business with him at all after the "theft" of Hufflepuff's Cup and the blind dragon during the war. And he couldn't do much of anything with the vault without a complete inventory, anyway.

The current statements for the Potter and Black Trust vaults took less than a quarter hour to deal with. He reviewed the monthly statements for Teddy's Trust vault and made a note to himself to open another Trust vault once Ignotus was born.

The Black Family vault records were placed into a box with older papers. The vault was still a chaotic mess due to Walburga Black's years of insanity, Sirius' imprisonment in Azkaban, and the lack of a total inventory due to the same safety issues that plagued the Black Heirloom vault. 

Harry closely reviewed the multipage Potter Family vault statement, pairing deposit, interest and withdrawal slips against Gringotts' records. After close examination, everything seemed to balance. He then began to review the multipage Black Household vault statement, a vault he had opened so he could keep track of the daily repair, maintenance, and food expenses for 12 Grimmauld Place. He planned to merge it back into the Black Family vault once the vault issues were resolved.

Harry disliked financial and estate management, but knew it was a necessary evil. He really wished he knew more about the intricacies involved, but in the Wizarding world, an heir learned the family finances from their head of house. Because Harry was an orphan, he had had no opportunity for family training and was now at a disadvantage. He would owl Recycled Knowledge to be on the lookout for any available books on estate management and financial planning, he thought.

~*~*~*  
Severus felt Harry tossing and turning on the mattress beside him. In his gravid state, it was impossible for the younger wizard to get comfortable.

The mattress dipped as Harry rolled out of bed and padded across the carpet to the hallway. Figuring he was making still another trip to relieve his bladder, Severus turned to his side and fell into an exhausted sleep.

Severus woke up hours later and realized he was alone in the bed. A quickly cast _Tempus_ told him that it was nearly three in the morning. Harry's pillow was cool to the touch.

"Harry," he called, but there was no response. Harry was not in the bedroom. Yawning widely, he pulled on his flannel robe and slid his feet into his slippers.

Stepping into the hallway, Severus could see a faint light from the nursery. As he approached, he could hear a soft sniffling sound. Why Harry was crying?

Severus walked into the nursery to see Harry slowly rocking in the rocking chair, a nappy-clad plush monkey in his lap. There was also a nappy-clad teddy bear at his feet. At Harry's elbow was a baby book, open to an animated illustration showing a witch folding and pinning a nappy onto a baby.

"Harry?"

Harry sniffed, looking up at Severus with tear-streaked cheeks.

"S'no use," he sniffed, holding up the monkey as the nappy slipped off into his lap. "I'm useless."

Practicing with the plushies in the middle of the night was very sweet and a little sad, he thought. Harry was devastated by his unsuccessful attempts and Severus felt out of his depth. He levitated the animals back into the crib and then pulled Harry to his feet.

"Perhaps it's not a skill you can easily learn from a book. Come back to bed where it's warm and we'll practice again later today. I'm sure we can figure it out." Severus wrapped his arms around his companion, leading him back to their room. 

"I don't know enough about babies, Sev. It's not just the nappies...What if I hurt Ignotus?"

"You do wonderfully with Teddy. I really don't think you have anything to worry about."

"But he's nearly five now - almost a little man. I wasn't there when he was born."

"That's why Andromeda is sending Dilly to us when the baby is born." Severus curled up behind Harry and kissed his shoulder.

"But Dilly is Teddy's nanny elf. He's still little. He still needs her."

"If Teddy still needed a nanny elf, Andromeda would not have offered us her services. Close your eyes and go to sleep. It's late."

~*~*~*  
Severus sorted through the stack of owl orders addressed to Slug, Jiggers and Snape: Quality Potions and Powders. There were also several envelopes addressed directly to Severus Snape, Potions Master First Class. He opened those first.

The first was a letter from _Potions Monthly_ , acknowledging the receipt of his article on the detrimental effects of prolonged exposure to aconite while brewing _Wolfsbane_. It was scheduled to print in their March issue. 

Obscurus Books, a Diagon Alley based book publisher, wanted to know if they could contract him to write a _Potions Brewing Guide for Idiots_ book, to join their popular line of _for Idiots_ books. Severus remembered seeing a shelf of yellow-covered books at Flourish and Blotts when he had last stopped in. He thought their _Herbology for Idiots_ was actually a well written, comprehensive overview. The project had possibilities, he thought, and set the letter aside for further reflection.

The final letter was a request for one of Severus' specialty potions, a potion not brewed or sold through Slug, Jiggers and Snape: Quality Potions and Powders or through Madam Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions. Bertrand Cumberbatch was re-ordering his monthly supply of Erectile Dysfunction Draught. 

Cumberbatch, Severus blinked at the last name and smirked. The identity of the mysterious Dorcas Cumberbatch was solved. He was fairly certain Harry would be amused.

~*~*~*  
Harry sat in the library, tucked into a large wing chair with his feet propped up on an ottoman. While still on bed rest, he had been allowed to move into the library under the condition that he stayed off his feet.

He spent the morning working on the business ledgers for Severus' apothecary. Since Severus was involved in one partnership, one exclusive contract, and had his own customers, Harry had long found it easier to treat each as a separate entity, and then merge those numbers into a single ledger for Severus to review.

Harry picked at his lunch. With his activities severely curtailed, he didn't have much of an appetite. Pushing the tray table aside, he curled up in the chair and picked up his newest crime novel. Teddy and Andromeda were planning to join him for afternoon tea. He was looking forward to the distraction.

~*~*~*  
A barn owl tapping at the window distracted Harry from his book. He raised the window sash with a wandless wave. He recognized the owl as George's personal owl, Boom. Boom was one of the few owls able to pass directly through the townhouse wards. All other owls were redirected to another location to be checked for malicious intent.

Harry untied a shrunken box from Boom's leg, leaving the owl to forage from his uneaten lunch tray. Talons delicately extracted ham slices from the sandwich. Boom seemed to shudder after dipping his beak into a cold mug of herbal tea to wash it down.

"I agree," Harry addressed the owl. "It's nasty enough hot. I can't imagine what it tastes like cold."

A mug of freshly brewed Earl Grey tea and a bowl of water materialized on the tray. Boom drank gratefully and then took flight.

"Thank you, Kreacher," Harry called out as he took a sip of the 'forbidden' beverage. "I wonder what George sent. I'm not expecting anything."

Harry shifted his ungainly body to the ottoman and enlarged the box. It quadrupled its original size. Within the box were three smaller identical boxes, packed in shredded paper. Lifting out one box, he placed it in his lap. Twenty-four Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes Winter Glow Globes were nestled in tissue paper. The small globes were all fastened by hooks to a long, thin wire covered in ribbon.

Harry didn't remember ordering the glow globes, but he was pleased to see them just the same. The little globes were actually Percy's invention. He had seen Muggle fairy lights and thought they were a much safer alternative to the candles most Wizarding families used. Only a few older families had access to the live fairies traditionally used to light trees. It had taken Percy and George nearly a year to duplicate the illusion of electric bulbs. Winter Glow Globes were now one of the most popular products sold by the ever-expanding non-prank branch of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

The pregnant wizard touched one of the walnut-sized frosted glass spheres with the tip of his wand.

" _Lumos_." 

All twenty-four globes on the string lit up at once with a soft, flickering light. 

As Harry cradled the string of lights, it suddenly occurred to him that it was already December and he hadn't even begun to address Yule cards or decorate the townhouse.

~*~*~*  
Severus grimaced when he saw the boxes of Yule cards and envelopes ready to be signed and addressed. Unlike Harry, he never sent personal greetings to friends, relatives or associates, but, as a business owner, he realized it was now expected of him.

Harry already completed his personal cards. They were tucked vertically back into their original card boxes, ready to be forwarded on to a Postal Owl Delivery Service for mailing.

"You just need to sign your name to that stack over there. I am sending those to our mutual friends," Harry said, handing Severus a never-out quill.

Severus picked up one of the indicated cards, watching the moving image of a pair of tree branches reaching down into freshly fallen snow to make snowballs that were stacked to create a snowman. He idly noted the card was addressed to Arthur and Molly Weasley. He swallowed his comment about Yule cards being a frivolous waste of funds and dutifully added his signature beside Harry's.

"If you double check the list of your business associates, I will address your envelopes for you tomorrow. I found the Potions Guild Membership Directory on your desk. Put a tick beside the names you want me to send cards to. We should probably send a card to all the members of the Diagon Alley/Knockturn Alley Merchant's Association as well."

"I will not send this silly snowman to my business associates," Severus replied, stiffly.

"Of course you won't." Harry opened a box, handing him a matte evergreen colored card with a single silver embossed snowflake on the cover. The inside caption read simply _Greetings of the Season_. Beneath the caption was a facsimile of Severus' scrawled signature, the printed name of his business and the address. The envelopes were also preprinted with his business name and address. "Do they meet with your approval?"

How Slytherin, he thought. Outmaneuvered, Severus picked up the Potions Guild Membership Directory and sat down with a huff.

Harry hid his smile. He slid an unopened bar of Godiva's Dark Chocolate and Blood Orange across the table as an unapologetic bribe.

"Umph," Severus grunted and seized the chocolate bar.

~*~*~*  
Harry studied the placement of the Victorian feather tree that Kreacher brought out of storage. The antique tree, which stood approximately four feet tall, had sparse branches. It was placed on a low, damask-covered circular table in the parlor.

He carefully unwrapped the shimmering dark blue glass and silver star that had been in the Black family for ages and placed it at the top of the tree. Gingerly, he removed his hands, keeping them close in case the star was not anchored securely.

Exhaling, Harry wound the three strands of Winter Glow Globes through the branches, occasionally winding the thin wire around a branch to keep them in place.

" _Lumos_." 

He stood back to survey the placement of the globes, reaching in to adjust a globe or two for balance. In his peripheral vision he saw a flash of light and watched a fairy flutter around one of the glowing orbs. Harry held out his hand and the fairy rested on a fingertip.

"Hello, beautiful one," he spoke softly, not wanting to scare the sprite away. "Is your family settled in the greenhouse?"

The tiny figure nodded her head. Grimmauld Place harbored a small colony of fairies, hearty survivors of both the doxy infestation and the neglect of the insane Blacks. While sprucing up the overgrown flower gardens, Harry discovered them, barely eking out an existence. He repaired the rooftop greenhouse and invited the tribe to winter over there so they would not starve once frost took the scant garden vegetation. Neville had helped him stock it with fairy-friendly flowers and offered to help with the garden in the Spring.

The fairy fluttered over to the tree, landing on a branch. She gestured toward the glow globes.

"They are merely charmed balls of glass. They are no danger to you or your family. See," Harry curled his fingers around one of the spheres. "They are cool to the touch. Unlike the candle flames, they cannot accidently burn your children."

The fairy left, soon to return with several dozen companions. Harry could hear a very high pitched twitter as the inquisitive fairies examined the lights.

Harry unpacked a box of antique German blown glass ornaments in bright jewel tone colors, and hung them from the branches. He unrolled a cloth wrapped bundle of spun glass icicles and discovered more than half of the delicate rods were broken.

" _Reparo_."

A few of the broken shards reformed into icicles, but they disintegrated when he picked one up.

"Kreacher." The elderly house-elf looked up from the ribbon he was threading onto an evergreen garland. Harry held up one of the icicles. "These are done for, I'm afraid. Do you think they still sell the glass icicles in Diagon Alley?"

"Kreacher does not know, Master Harry." 

The house-elf tried his magic on one of the splintered decorations. While it held together, it still had visible cracks. Not wanting to risk anyone getting cut on a sharp edge, Harry banished the broken glass into a rubbish bin. He wrapped one of the surviving spun glass icicles in the cloth and held it out to Kreacher.

"When you have time, please take this to Cranville Quincey's Magical Junkshop and see if he has anything similar. They don't have to be icicles. Maybe he has snowflakes or stars. I just want something to catch the light."

Harry sank back into the settee, propping his feet up on the cushion. He watched the fairies flutter around the nearly decorated tree. It was elegant and beautiful. He leaned back his head and closed his eyes.

Ignotus gave a particularly sharp kick to his ribcage. Harry opened his eyes with a start, and gazed at the delicate Victorian feather tree. The totally non-child-friendly Victorian feather tree. 

"Bollocks," Harry sighed.

~*~*~*  
Severus Apparated into the foyer at 12 Grimmauld. He could see the evergreen and ribbon garlands wrapping up the staircase and outlining the doorways. Someone had been very busy and it damn well better not have been Harry.

That day's post sat unopened on the narrow hall table. Without opening them, he could tell more than half of the correspondence appeared to be Yule cards. He pulled a stack of cards from an inside robe pocket and added them to the pile of post. He detested the forced frivolity they represented, but Harry seemed to like them.

He followed the garlands into the parlor. Harry was hanging a silver snowflake on the holiday tree. The pregnant wizard rubbed his lower back.

"You've been busy, I see."

Harry turned, facing him, and smiled. He was still massaging his back.

"Kreacher has been busy." Harry indicated the garland wrapped around the mantel. "All I've done is address your Yule cards and decorate this tree."

~*~*~*  
Harry picked at his roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. It was one of his favorite dishes, but he was feeling slightly nauseated. He took a sip of his tea.

"Not feeling well?"

"I've been having back spasms on and off all afternoon." Harry fiddled with his teacup. "And before you ask, I didn't overdo it."

"Has the baby been active?"

"No more than usual. Ig's rather run out of room."

"Perhaps he lying on a nerve."

"He?" Harry arched an eyebrow.

"Did I say he? Ignotus is lying on a nerve."

"I definitely heard a 'he' in there," Harry's voice teased. "Did someone perhaps run a gender-indicating charm he shouldn't have?"

Severus' expression gave nothing away.

"I know you cast it months ago," Harry laughed. "In every discussion we have ever had about the baby's name, you've never once mentioned a girl's name."

Severus held up both hands, the universal sign of surrender.

~*~*~*  
Harry placed both of his hands on the back of the settee and arched his spine. It was no use. The spasms were getting worse.

"Maybe you pulled something." Severus ran his hand above Harry's hip, trying to feel for a knot.

"I've been really careful. I truly don't want to go back on bed rest if I can avoid it." Harry exhaled through a sharp spasm. "After breakfast, I wrapped gifts on the library table. The children's toy boxes are large, but they are not heavy. 

"I addressed some of your Yule cards, then took a break for tea and toast. Addressed more cards. Ate lunch. Kreacher brought down the tree and decorations. He set it up for me and began the garlands. I strung the lights and hung a few ornaments. 

"We discovered a number of ornaments were damaged, so I took a nap while Kreacher ran errands. I addressed the remainder of your cards. Kreacher returned with replacement ornaments from Quincey's Junkshop and you walked in the door." Harry breathed through another spasm. "I haven't even looked at today's post yet."

"The tree looks very nice. I've never seen lights like that before."

"It's a new product from Triple W. - Winter Glow Globes. I know candles are traditional for wizards..."

"Open flames always made me nervous. We'll still need to ward the tree against little fingers, though." Severus wrapped his arms around Harry and rested his chin on the narrow shoulder. "The fairies seem to like the lights."

They heard the quietest of pops behind them.

"Master Harry must be getting in bed now." Instead of Kreacher's gravelly voice, this voice was higher in pitch.

"Dilly?"

Teddy's nanny elf stood in the middle of the parlor, her tea towel decorated in holly leaves and berries.

"Do not the Masters know it is time?"

Severus' brilliant mind made the connection immediately. Harry wasn't having muscle spasms, he was having contractions.

"You're in labor, love."

~*~*~*  
Umbilical cord still attached, the tiny newborn was placed, skin to skin, on Harry's bare chest. Dark, unfocused eyes stared into his as he placed his hand, palm open, on his son's warm back. Harry examined the too-serious little face and smiled tiredly.

"Hello, little one."

Severus' eyes glowed. He leaned down and kissed his son's temple. His long fingers smoothed the dark tuft of hair on the newborn's head.

"He has your hair," he quipped, and then kissed Harry on the lips. "Too early to tell with his eyes, though."

Harry was vaguely aware of the afterbirth and his pseudo womb being removed. Drugged and disconnected, he watched Severus clamp and cut the umbilical cord. Numb from waist to knees, he could see the mediwitch repair the incision caused by his caesarean section, but could not feel any pain.

The newborn was lifted from his chest, taken away to be weighed, measured, and bathed. Severus levitated Harry while Kreacher replaced the soiled bedding. Given a quick sponge bath and another pain potion, Harry slipped his arms into the proffered nightshirt and settled in against the crisp, cool sheets.

Dilly tucked the swaddled infant into Harry's waiting arms. The baby sniffled, gave a wide, toothless yawn, and settled down to sleep. Severus climbed into the bed beside them.

The mediwitch cast a series of diagnostic charms on both of her patients. She ascertained that nothing out of the ordinary was occurring based upon the readings. She produced a birth certificate form and a never-out quill. The witch filled in all the requested information, and then paused, quill ready.

"Baby's name?"

Harry looked at Severus, who nodded.

"Evan Ignotus Potter-Snape."

~*~*~*  
Lying on a thick quilt on the carpet, Evan kicked out his skinny bird legs as Dilly prepared to change his nappy. With decades of experience, the nanny elf swiftly pushed a cloth over his lower half, catching the sudden urine stream.

Sitting in the rocking chair, Harry observed her select a small nappy and fold it into a narrow rectangle. She picked up a tiny curved fabric cover and fitted the rectangle into place. After making certain Evan was clean, she picked up his legs by the ankles and set his bottom down into the inside curve of the cover, fastening it around his hips and belly using hook and loop fasteners.

Dumbfounded, he realized she was not folding the large cotton nappy into triangles and pinning it as the baby book showed. Dilly was using a washable cotton nappy insert and a washable plastic-lined cover of possible Muggle origin. Wizards, in general, may be stuck in the middle ages, but this nanny elf obviously was not.

Harry picked up one of the oversized nappys from the shelf.

"I guess we don't use these, then."

"Oh, yes we does, Master Harry." Dilly placed miniscule socks on the tiny bare feet, tugged the green-frog-patterned cotton nightgown down and pulled the drawstring, double tying it into a floppy bow. "We puts them on our shoulders to catch the baby burpies."

~*~*~*  
Teddy scowled, glaring through the slats of the cot, at the noisy interloper. Everyone was so happy, cooing over this little thing they called Cousin Evan. He was not happy. It had stolen his nanny elf. It had stolen his away-from-home bedroom. It had stolen his Uncle Harry.

All it did was lie there. He couldn't even play with it. And to make matters worse, all he kept hearing was "No" and "Don't" and "Be Careful" and "Shhh."

Dejected, he pulled his knees to his chest and huddled in the hallway. He hugged his much-loved stuffed wolf. Wolfie still wanted him even if no one else did. Uncle Harry wouldn't want him any more now that he had a little boy of his own. He sniffed, his sudden tears soaking into Wolfie's fur.

"Teddy?" He felt gentle fingers card through his hair.

"Go 'way." Teddy looked up at his Uncle Harry. He bit his trembling lower lip and looked away. "I'm mad at you."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."

Harry wished he could pick up Teddy to reassure him, but he was still recovering from the birth. Magic or not, pseudo or not, he had still had an organ removed. He wasn't able to pick up anything heavier than Evan for a few weeks. He wished he could sit beside his godson on the floor and hug him, but if he lowered himself to the carpet, he would be unable to rise again without assistance.

"I have a surprise for you. Do you want to see it?"

"Didn't like the last surprise very much. He's noisy an' stinky."

Harry tried not to laugh. "I'm pretty sure you'll like this one. If you get up, I can show it to you."

Teddy pouted. He was still very unhappy with the surprise baby. But Uncle Harry's surprises were usually pretty nice. Tucking Wolfie under his arm, he stood up.

Harry walked past the door to the bedroom he shared with Severus, and past the door to the nursery, stopping at a third door. It was across the hall from Evan's nursery. He waved Teddy to follow him.

"Open it," Harry said as they stood in front of the closed bedroom door. Teddy turned the handle and pushed the door open. His jaw dropped and his plain brown hair morphed into his favorite turquoise.

"Is this a nice surprise? Do you like your new room?"

"Yes!" 

Teddy wrapped his arms around Harry's hips, hugging him tightly. Harry bit back a groan as the four-year-old made contact with his healing incision. The little boy turned in the middle of the bedroom, looking at his toys and books placed neatly on shelves. The photograph of Mummy and Daddy was on his brand new desk. And there was a flying dragon coverlet on the bed. It wasn't his old toddler bed. It was a grown up bed. He had a grown up bed in a grown up room.

"And I have my very own Kismis tree!" On the top of the dresser stood a small Christmas tree that Harry had never seen before. Obviously, Kreacher had added a festive decoration of his own. Live fairies flitted around the small tree, lighting it up. "It's pretty. This is the bestest surprise ever!"

Harry sat on the bed and wrapped his arms around the small boy, pulling him close. 

"I love you Teddy. I will always love you. Just because there is a new baby, it doesn't mean I want you to go away. It doesn't mean I will love you less."

~*~*~*  
Harry pulled on another pair of trousers, trying to find one that would fit his post-partum body. While he hadn't gained that much weight during his pregnancy, he was still carrying a few extra pounds. Frustrated, he pulled on a loose pair of maternity jeans.

Standing in front of the mirror, he poked at his soft abdomen. Although the baby books assured him the muscle tone could return with proper nutrition and exercises, he was not reassured.

He rubbed in the stretch mark reducing cream, noticing that the marks were becoming less noticeable. He wondered idly if one of Madam Primpernelle's skin tightening elixirs would have any effect on his saggy abdomen. He would even tolerate the awful rose scent if it actually worked.

Deciding he had spent enough time on vanity, he pulled a lightweight jumper over his head and considered himself dressed.

There was no way around it. Harry would have to brave the insanity of Diagon Alley or Muggle London to purchase a pair of dress trousers that actually fit, even if it was two days before the Winter Solstice.

~*~*~*  
Evan sucked greedily at the nipple as Harry made certain to position the baby bottle at an angle to reduce the inhalation of excess air. When the infant stopped suckling, Harry set the bottle aside and, carefully supporting his head and neck, propped Evan against his shoulder. He rubbed his son's back, eventually getting him to burp.

The baby formula had a odd smell, Harry thought, and he worried that his inability to breastfeed would cause harm to Evan's development. Both Severus and Andromeda assured him that the formula was just as safe and as healthy, if not healthier, than breast milk.

Harry patted Evan's back and was rewarded with another healthy burp. Unfortunately, the passage of wind came from the other end as well. Harry just couldn't understand how someone so small could excrete such evilness.

~*~*~*  
Severus closed his apothecary early the day before the Winter Solstice. He would return to his brewing schedule the day after Boxing Day. Witnessing the last-minute shopping frenzy in Diagon Alley and, to a lesser extent, Knockturn Alley, he was glad he did not have a conventional storefront. How the clerks could deal with scores of rude and crazed customers on a daily basis without hexing someone was beyond him.

He had a few stops to make before going home, but his most important stop was to Godric's Hollow. A log to be used as a Yule Log was traditionally harvested from your own property, but Grimmauld Place had no trees large enough to be used for that purpose, and to purchase a log was thought to bring bad luck. For the past few years, he and Harry had harvested their logs from an old oak tree behind Lily and James' wrecked cottage. This was the first time Severus had come alone to select the log.

Before stopping at the cottage, Severus paid his respects to Harry's parents in the Godric's Hollow churchyard. He hung an ivy wreath Harry had decorated with ribbons, holly, and pine cones on their joint headstone and laid his personal bouquet of flowers at the base below Lily's name. He told Lily that she was now a grandmother and that Harry and Evan were well. He often wondered what her reaction to his relationship with her son would have been.

He walked through gently falling snow, through the village square, past the monument honoring the Potters, and finally to the gate of the cottage. Severus stepped through the wards protecting the partially collapsed dwelling from the souvenir hunters, the thieves, and the curious. As far as he and Harry were concerned, it was not, and never should have been, the tourist attraction the Ministry of Magic designated it to be. He kept his eyes firmly on the uneven brick path, not wanting to see the remains of the nursery where his friend had been murdered.

He compared several thick logs stacked beside the base of the ancient oak tree. After deliberation, he selected one that should fit in the parlor firebox. Pulling the selected log away from the others, he cast a _Featherlight Charm_ upon it and Apparated himself and the log back to London.

~*~*~*  
Andromeda stood in the foyer of 12 Grimmauld Place, hugging Teddy tightly. After making certain he was safely holding Harry's hand in the doorway to the parlor, she activated an international portkey taking her to Berlin. 

With Ted and Dora dead, the holiday season was very difficult for the witch, so Harry had convinced her that she should accept an old friend's invitation to travel. He and Severus were very happy to have Teddy stay with them.

She worried that it would be an imposition with Evan being so young, but Harry reminded her that in an unexpected emergency she would only be a Floo call away. He didn't even mention how offended Dilly would have been at the suggestion that she was unable to handle more than one little wizard at a time.

Teddy was vibrating in excitement. Tomorrow was Yule, not that he was certain exactly what Yule was, but he knew presents and sweets were involved. His grandmother had tried to explain to him that Yule was a celebration of light in the darkest time of the year, but that didn't make much sense to him.

The smell of baking gingerbread permeated the townhouse. Teddy licked his lips in anticipation. His stomach growled.

He helped his Uncle Harry punch a hole in the corner of each Yule card. To his eyes, there seemed to be hundreds and hundreds of cards, but his godfather told him there were actually one hundred twenty-seven of them. After he punched the hole, he inserted a small metal hook in the hole for hanging. Uncle Harry told him they were going to hang the cards from the garlands so everyone could see all the pretty images. Teddy thought it would take forever, and he really wanted to see what Kreacher was baking.

"I'm getting pretty hungry, Uncle Harry."

"Your grandmother said you ate a really big lunch before you came today. You can't possibly still be hungry." Harry pretended to be serious. The smell of gingerbread was making him peckish as well.

"But I'm a growing boy! Grandmum says I'm a bottomless pit," Teddy wheedled. He didn't understand how a pit wouldn't have a bottom, but if his grandmother said it didn't have a bottom, then it didn't have a bottom.

Harry glanced at the long case clock. In less than hour, Kreacher would be serving tea anyway. Getting Teddy interested in hanging the cards was probably a losing proposition, especially now that his attention was focused solely on his stomach.

"Let's see what Kreacher is making in the kitchen."

Teddy took off before Harry completed the sentence. He tapped the basket containing the cards with his wand, and the cards began to hang themselves. He hadn't been looking forward to physically hanging all those cards any more than Teddy had been. 

I do love magic, he thought.

~*~*~*  
Severus knocked the snow off his feet before he stepped into the back entrance to the townhouse. He left the log on the back landing. The snow and ice needed to melt before they could bring the log further into the house.

When he entered the kitchen, he saw Teddy sitting at the table, surrounded by star-shaped gingerbread biscuits covered in pale yellow icing. He was pleased to note that the stars did not appear to have been made, or decorated, with the little boy's assistance. He didn't mind a child learning to cook, he just didn't want to be the one to have to eat the results of the experiment.

Teddy had a milk mustache and brown and yellow crumbs down the front of his jumper. He was nibbling the points off a gingerbread star.

"How many of those have you had, Teddy?" he asked, not wanting to deal with a four-year-old on a sugar rush or with an upset stomach. "You don't want to spoil your tea."

"He should have had just the one," Harry said as he walked into the kitchen, a wide-awake Evan tucked into the crook of his arm. "We decided to let him have the sweet bit of his tea early. He promised to have a sandwich after."

Severus looked at the sheer amount of crumbs, and knew more than one star had been consumed, but Teddy was Harry's godson, not his, and he was still treading lightly where discipline was involved.

Kreacher was busy kneading a loaf of fruited bread for the next day. He set the loaf aside to rise a second time before baking.

"We's making your favorite macaroni cheese with fish fingers for dinner, Little Master, so you's need to leave some room."

Fish fingers, Severus sighed; even the name sounded revolting.

~*~*~*  
"I didn't think he was ever going to go to sleep," Harry murmured as he snuggled in Severus' arms. "I should have realized Kreacher was sneaking Teddy sweets."

"I think Dilly has put a stop to that, unless the row I overheard in the kitchen tonight was about who was cooking the Yule feast."

"No," Harry laughed. "Dilly knows Kreacher rules the kitchen, but Kreacher has discovered that little wizards are Dilly's domain."

~*~*~*  
Severus knelt beside the hearth as Teddy wrapped the Yule Log in ribbons. He tied the dangling fabric lengths into somewhat presentable bows while the child tucked sprigs of ivy and holly beneath the ribbon.

The Potions master stood up and cast Harry an exasperated look as Teddy tried to make the log look perfect. Harry had read his godson a children's book on Yule celebrations the night before, part of the plot revolving around finding decorations for the log. Obviously, the little boy didn't understand the log and the decorations were all going to go up in flames and it didn't matter what the log looked like.

When Teddy was finally finished, Severus sent him to sit beside Harry on the settee. Harry was feeding Evan his morning bottle. 

Per tradition, the log was doused in cider and dusted in flour. Severus set the log ablaze using a piece of wood saved from the ashes of the previous year's log. With any luck, the log would continue to burn for twelve or more hours, ensuring good luck in the coming year.

~*~*~*  
While others celebrated the Winter Solstice with prayers and bonfires, with caroling and storytelling, with feasting and the consumption of vast quantities of wassail, they spent their day in quiet reflection and conversation.

Living with the Dursleys, Harry had no holiday traditions of his own to observe, so he was quite content to share the traditions Severus and his mother, Eileen, had invented. Not wanting to draw unwanted attention from the often drunk and violent Tobias with anything blatantly magical, they usually listened to Christmas music playing on the radio, exchanged small gifts, usually books, and spent the day quietly reading and baking. Since the row house in Spinner's End did not have a wood-burning fireplace and they could not burn a Yule Log, they improvised by decorating their small tinsel Christmas tree and lighting candles.

Knowing that an entire day of quiet reflection would be impossible for a rambunctious four-year-old, Harry and Severus decided to gift Teddy with several storybooks and a second, slightly more exciting gift - a training Snitch. 

The Professional Quidditch Grade Snitch, while not new, had been used in one professional match only. The game Snitch was slightly dinged, but fully operational. It was a gift from Harry's old schoolmate Oliver Wood, who was currently Reserve Keeper for Puddlemere United. Oliver, upon hearing of Harry's pregnancy, presented him with the small winged ball along with the observation that it was never too early to begin training the next generation of Seekers. Harry had been amused by the gift, Severus just shook his head.

As the weather was pleasant for so late in December, Harry and Teddy bundled up and took the Snitch into the back garden. Harry programmed it to fly at its lowest speed and no higher than his waist. Joyfully, Teddy pursued the hovering orb as it zigged and zagged through the paths and desiccated flower beds. Harry knew they would need more room and a training broom to actually use the Snitch to its potential, but the back garden was sufficient for a first lesson.

Worn out, Teddy fell asleep on the parlor carpet, still clutching the training Snitch. Once he was tucked into his bed for a proper nap, Dilly returned the device to Severus. She was taking no chances her mischievous charge would be tempted to set the training Snitch loose in the house.

~*~*~*  
And then it was Christmas Eve. The house was filled with the fragrance of roasting pork, of potatoes, of gravy, and baking bread. Because Evan was too young to travel via Apparation or by Floo, and using the Knight Bus was soundly rejected, the Weasleys agreed to hold the holiday gift exchange a day early and had accepted an invitation to dinner.

Harry unlocked the library doors and brought down the exchange gifts from Severus and himself, as well as the little zoo he had bought for Victoire. Severus convinced him that the additional box of farm animals was too much, so that package now bore Evan's name. He also brought down the largest box of Godiva mixed chocolate to send home with Molly for her brood to snack upon and a second box to set out in the parlor.

Harry left behind the gifts earmarked for Severus, Teddy, Evan and himself. They would open those gifts Christmas morning. He locked the door behind him, so that Teddy would not accidently find them. At four, he would still believe in the magic of Father Christmas for several more years to come if Harry had any say in it.

After arranging the gifts under the feather tree, Harry looked around the festively decorated house and felt a pang of sadness. He remembered back to the only Christmas he ever remembered sharing with his godfather, Sirius. 

It had been a dour old house then, still bearing the scars of neglect, but Sirius, Remus, and Molly had tried their best to make it cheery. Harry thought of the row of decorated house-elf heads, and realized, with a start, that they no longer hung in the hallway, and he had absolutely no idea what Kreacher had done with them.

Harry paused to stir the kettle of spiced apple cider simmering over the flame. Cinnamon sticks and clove-studded orange slices floated on the surface of the fragrant brew. He dipped a spoon into the cider and took a sip.

Behind him, Kreacher chopped onions with a little more force than necessary. Not wanting to step on the old house-elf's toes, Harry made a hasty retreat. He knew that Kreacher did not appreciate his attempts to help, but Harry had spent years preparing holiday meals for the Dursleys, and it still felt unnatural not to be elbow deep in potato peels.

~*~*~*  
There was a brisk knock on the front door. With Walburga Black's portrait relegated to the Black Heirloom vault, Harry no longer had to outrun the banshee's screams. Guests could now be received in a much more sedate way.

The first to arrive were Percy and Audrey. They removed their outer cloaks, revealing matching Weasley jumpers. The fronts of the ecru jumpers each featured a single large red argyle diamond, with a knitted "X" the color of gold. Unfortunately, the "X" rested right in the middle of Audrey's pregnancy bump. Biting back a bad joke about "X" marking the spot, Harry looked away before he lost control.

"Fair warning, Harry," Percy laughed, nervously. "Mum's outdone herself this year."

~*~*~*  
As the rest of the Weasleys arrived, they were all wearing variations of argyle patterns. George and Angelina's three diamonds ran vertically down the left side of their fronts, while Bill, Fleur and Victoire had three diamonds horizontally across the chest. Ron and Hermione shared the same single giant diamond worn by Percy and Audrey, but in a different color scheme. Arthur and Molly had four diamonds in a two across and two down pattern. Charlie and Ginny did not attend, having prior commitments. Harry wondered, idly, that since both were still single, how many diamonds were on their jumpers.

Teddy was a bit confused by the mass of argyle jumpers. He wasn't sure why the couples were wearing matching garments, down to the colors and number of diamonds. Harry tried to explain it as a designation of a family unit within the larger family unit. He wasn't sure if Teddy understood.

"So, Uncle Bill, Aunt Fleur and Victorie all have blue jumpers with three diamonds because they are a family?"

"Yes."

"And when Aunt Audrey's baby is born, Grandma Molly has to knit another jumper with a red diamond?"

"That's right."

Harry was glad when Teddy stopped asking about the Weasley jumpers, because frankly, he was a bit bewildered by them. For years, Molly's jumpers always carried the first initial of the intended recipient, but in the years after Fred's death, she had knitted only plain dark-colored jumpers. He hoped that this sea of argyles was a sign of Molly's acceptance of Fred's passing and not a sign of depression.

He glanced toward the four packages beneath the tree that could only contain Weasley jumpers. He and Severus shared a look, his of amusement and Severus' of resignation. Thankfully, Kreacher popped in with the announcement that dinner was served.

~*~*~*  
Harry slipped out of the room as they were bringing in extra chairs for the holiday gift exchange. The small tree was almost lost in the pile of wrapped parcels at its base. He wondered if they should consider replacing it with a larger tree next year.

Harry brought Evan down to meet his extended family. He hoped the loud laughter would not frighten him. Before he could even sit down, Molly commandeered the infant so they could begin unwrapping gifts.

The excitement on Teddy's face fell as he opened the present containing his Weasley jumper and discovered that there were no diamonds on it. As far as he understood things, the diamonds meant that you were family. He blinked back tears as he looked at his chestnut-brown-colored jumper with the cream-colored silhouette of a deer on the front. Didn't Grandma Molly think he was family?

"Look, Teddy," Harry called as he unwrapped a tiny chestnut-colored jumper. "You and Evan have matching jumpers."

~*~*~*  
Teddy wasn't the only one shocked by the appearance of the jumper, but Harry hid it better. He felt his gut twist as first he, and then Severus, unwrapped matching chestnut-brown-colored jumpers with the cream-colored stag silhouette. Long buried feelings of abandonment surged to the surface.

And then his mind overrode his heart. For years he'd been told he was considered an "honorary" Weasley, but that didn't make him an actual Weasley, did it? And Severus, by bonding with him, had been drawn into the same strange family-but-not-family dynamic that he had first encountered as an eleven-year-old unwrapping his first Weasley jumper. Perhaps, he thought, it was time to take a step back.

Teddy tugged at his godfather's arm, wanting help to put on his jumper. The child's dismay had evaporated when he saw their four matching jumpers. They didn't have those stupid diamonds on their jumpers, not because they were not a family, but because they were not named Weasley.

Hermione positioned Harry and Severus beside the tree, complete with the flickering light of the family of curious fairies. Harry had Evan in his arms and Teddy stood in front of Severus, who rested his hand on the boy's shoulder. Looking at the four matching stag jumpers, her mind returned to the deer costume Harry had found on Regent Street. Perhaps he should have bought the silly thing after all.

"Smile," Hermione said as the shutter clicked.

~*~*~*  
Alone with Harry in the library, Fleur neatly wrote out the names of each participant in the holiday gift exchange onto small slips of paper. Since she had the neatest handwriting, she had been volunteered to ready the names to choose for the following year.

"I hate wearing these horrible jumpers," she said. While her French accent was still heavy, her command of the English language had improved. She indicated the bright robin's egg blue of the jumper itself.

"At least you don't have a huge "X" across your belly like poor Audrey." Harry looked at Fleur's jumper, so not the fashionable style of clothing she usually wore. "The color looks nice on you, though."

"On me, perhaps, but Bill looks ridiculous." Fleur set the quill aside and waited for the ink to dry enough to fold the papers in half. She gave him an assessing look. "And as much as I hate these detestable jumpers, we were all in it together, >i/i"

Harry did not reply.

"I do not think Madame Molly meant to hurt Teddy's feelings...or yours." The perceptive witch smiled at him sympathetically. Like Harry, she and the other Weasley wives also lived on the periphery of Molly's affections. Only by Fleur's giving birth to the first grandchild had the wall of animosity softened somewhat for her, but she knew it would never disappear completely. 

"Well." Harry struck an exaggerated pose. "At least I get to wear a masculine color...unlike Bill, who rather resembles a giant egg."

">i/ii/i""

"But Sev will be pulling my name from the basket, and I will pull his. Then everyone will laugh like it's a joke and offer me false sympathy, because they think he's a pain to shop for."

"What is it you hope to achieve by doing this?"

"The holiday gift exchange is a Weasley family tradition and Severus and I should not be a part of it. We are not Weasleys, nor are we Weasley spouses. By taking our names out of the general exchange for next year, hopefully we can bow out of the event itself without hurting too many feelings." 

Harry took her arm and they walked toward the gathering. Severus met them on the stairs, the chestnut brown hue of the jumper doing nothing for his sallow complexion. Fleur walked away so Harry could inform Severus of his plan.

~*~*~*  
Harry pulled Severus' face down for a long, hungry kiss. The house was cleared of guests, the children and house-elves were asleep in their beds, and the gifts were under the tree. He hoped they could find the time to share a little intimate holiday cheer of their own before ending their long and exhausting day. 

Evan would awaken in the middle of the night for a feeding and a dry nappy. Teddy would wake long before dawn, too excited to sleep any longer. Sleep deprived and drinking strong cups of tea, they would watch Teddy gleefully tear apart the wrapped packages to see what Father Christmas had brought him. With Teddy's "assistance," Evan would unwrap his very first Christmas gifts and, finally, they would open their own gifts to one another. 

And even though the icebox was filled with leftovers from the Christmas Eve feast, the aroma of roasting duck and sage dressing would soon fill the house.

"It is time for us to make our own family traditions," Harry said and Severus agreed.

~*~*~*  
FIN  
~*~*~*


End file.
